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Reubens, who was born in Peekskill in 1952, died on Sunday night, July 30 at the age of 70 after a privately-fought battle with cancer, according to an announcement from the official Pee-wee Herman Instagram page.
In the announcement, Reubens shared a statement written before his death that included an apology for not revealing his cancer diagnosis.
"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote, adding, "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from all my friends, fans, and supporters."
"I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you," Reubens continued.
In a statement, the official Pee-wee Herman Instagram page said Reubens fought cancer "with his trademark tenacity and wit."
"A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit," the statement continued.
Reubens began playing the Pee-wee Herman character as a stage act and quickly starred in a television special in 1981. Following this, he went on to play the child-like character in the 1985 feature film "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and the "Pee-wee's Playhouse" television show, which ran from 1986 to 1991.
Before his death, Herman asked that expressions of sympathy be made to Stand Up to Cancer or other organizations involved in dementia or Alzheimer's care in honor of his late parents, Judy and Milton Rubenfeld.
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